You can’t spell ‘C-A-M-E-R-O-N?’ good-bye

In one of those “it would be funny if it weren’t so serious” stories, a phone scammer pretending to solicit funds for Rockdale police lost his cool, and his con, last week because he couldn’t spell “Cameron.”

Lt. J. D. Newlin said the scammer phoned a local woman and told her he was affiliated with the Rockdale Police Department and was soliciting funds.

“He told her it was some sort of police program and if she donated, she would receive some kind of thank-you gift in the mail and asked for her address,” Newlin said.

That’s where things started to go wrong for the would-be scammer. Her mailing address is on Cameron Avenue (US 79). The scammer asked her how to spell “Cameron.” That is, of course, Rockdale’s most prominent street and a town 16 miles away.

“You don’t know how to spell ‘Cameron?’ And you’re with the Rockdale Police Department!” she asked.

The flustered scammer hung up.

“It’s important for people to know that the Rockdale Police Department would never solicit over the phone,” Newlin said. “In fact, the only thing we ever solicit for is the annual Officer of the Year Banquet and we will do that in person, face to face.”